It’s a debate that has been going on for nearly 100 years– marijuana, its legalization and safety.

While dozens of states, like Michigan, have given medical cannabis the go-ahead, many people are adamantly against it. People have some pretty strong positions on this.

Some medical professionals and scientists say many people benefit from the drug. Others say research proves there is no medical use for it.

“It was more of a biological question than a medial question at that time,” said IU South Bend Science Professor, Thomas Clark.

For the past four and a half years, Clark has been studying the medical effects of marijuana.

“So here’s just a short list pulled out- pretty easily out of the literature of things we know marijuana can help with,” said Clark.

His curiosity prompted him to sift through endless amounts of research and what he found was clear. Marijuana can help people with chronic conditions.

“They’ve found in lab studies that it actually stops or reverses the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. It prevents things like obesity, diabetes mellitus. It kills cancer as it develops without harming cells around it,” said Clark.

Clark says there are adverse effects such as memory issues but he says those effects are minor compared to what the drugs in your medicine cabinet can do.

“It’s less toxic than aspirin and Tylenol,” said Clark.

“Aspirin, Tylenol, they don’t cause Schizophrenia. Marijuana does. Is that worth the trade off with your kids? I don’t think so,” said Prosecutor Victor Fitz.

Fitz was an integral part of stopping the sale of medical marijuana in Cass County.